Rants and Raves from the Geek Closet

Episode Highlight 1: Blink

There are very few Doctor Who episodes I won’t watch over and over again, but there are a few that stand out above the rest. The first one I want to talk about is Blink.

The Tenth Doctor sends a message to Sally Sparrow.

Blink

Written by: Steven Moffat
Aired: Near the end of Season Three
Featuring: the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones
Set in: London, 2007 (mostly)

Summary: Sally Sparrow is doing a photoshoot at an old, abandoned house when she finds a message addressed to her–a message that was written in 1969 by someone named “the Doctor.” Soon she realizes that she’s being stalked, not only by the mysterious time traveler, but also by the sinister Weeping Angels.

Look behind you…

I know it’s a bit cliche by now, but I really think this is the best episode of the new series. It’s the one I show my friends when I want to introduce them to my favourite show. It is Doctor Who at its best: a genuinely scary monster, a delightfully complicated time travel plot, some of the most memorable moments with the Tenth Doctor, and not one but three love stories, each one rather affecting in its own way. Keep in mind that all this happens in one 45-minute episode, and the Doctor is only onscreen for about ten minutes total. Also, it’s a wonderful performance by Carrie Mulligan, who went on to achieve some well-deserved fame. I’ve often wished Sally Sparrow could have been the Season Three companion instead of Martha. Plus, the atmosphere of this episode is beautiful: the picturesque decay of the old house, the rainy London streets and cemeteries, Larry Nightingale’s vintage shop, and even the shapely Weeping Angels themselves–it all adds up to one of the most aesthetically pleasing Doctor Who episodes ever. And, like most Moffat episodes, it’s stuffed with clever quotes, ends with a mind-blowing plot twist, and leaves us with a healthy dose of paranoia. I’ll never look at statues the same way again… It’s no wonder “Blink” has generated more merchandise and memes than any other single episode.

“That’s my favourite–I’ve got that on a T-shirt!”

Great Quotes:

“I like old things. They make me feel sad.”
“What’s good about sad?”
“It’s happy, for deep people.”

“Don’t blink. Don’t even blink. Blink and you’re dead. They are fast, faster than you can believe. Don’t turn your back, don’t look away, and don’t blink. Good luck.”

“People assume that time is a natural progression of cause to effect, but actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it’s more like a big ball…of wibbly-wobbly…timey-wimey…stuff.”